How old was your little one when you switched to a forward facing car seat?

[meganm94]

DD is 15 months and still rearward facing. Her car seat rearward faces for up to approx 4 years but she's not the biggest fan of the car. I don't know one other mum with a child over 12 months who still rear faces and I feel like I'm just being over dramatic and paranoid but I've delved too deeply into the internet to be feel comfortable with it now 😂

Not much point to this post really, just interested to see if anyone else feels the same as me as I feel like I'm the only mum out of all my friends/family who feels this way 🙈

Mine were about 18 months/2.

5

@TheGriffle Exactly this - the puke! We were having to do full clothing changes after a drive to the supermarket and the poor girl was miserable. Stopped the day we turned her forward facing. For my own sanity I can no longer read anything online about car seat safety though...

4 for one and I think the other was 4.5. They are both off the charts tall.

My youngest was just over one. I knew the recommendations but she screamed hysterically and constantly like she was being tortured when rear facing. My eldest, who is autistic, could not cope with the noise and would have a meltdown. So I had two distressed, hysterical children in the back. It was impossible to drive sensibly and safely as there was so much cortisol pumping through me. Journeys were basically not possible. I’d tried all the normal things - nursery rhymes, car mirrors with music and lights etc So I switched her to forward facing. I know it’s not as safe but it certainly wasn’t safe for me to drive in those conditions either and it wasn’t good for my children’s mental health. No regrets. And I don’t judge parents about this issue, or anything, as you never know the full story.

my dd was 1 as well, when she outgrew her infant car seat we put her forward facing straight away, as did pretty much everyone I know

Just turned dd now at 2.5years.
If we are going on long journeys or back somewhere at night i turn her back the other way as its easier for her to sleep (360 car seat)

My eldest was 18 months, I vaguely knew about the guidelines but not as much as I do now. I'm hoping to keep my youngest rear facing for a bit longer than that.

Off topic but I'm amazed you're giving your one year old a tablet for Christmas.

I'm aiming for four at least. Currently 2.5. Absolutely wouldn't risk it for the sake of whinging or boredom (I would consider if I had a vomiter so no judgement there!)

Thanks for all your replies, interesting to see what you all had to say ☺️ and again, I'm not judging anyone, I appreciate all your opinions on the subject!

And for the sake of the parent police, her godmother is the one buying her the tablet (a cheap £30 one, not exactly the latest iPad 😂). That's what she's chosen to buy her and that's fine with me, I think she'll be more than happy with it in the back of the car watching Peppa Pig!

DD1 was just over 1.

DD2 is now 21 months and still rear facing. I'll keep her rear facing as long as she is happy to.

DS1 was nearly 5 when he grew out of his rear facing seat but he is very tall. I expect DS2 to last longer in it but he is currently only 2.

With my first son I turned him forwards at 9 months and put him in a “big boy seat” because I thought it was important milestone.

When I look back I feel horrified that I did it, and when I look at photos I have of him forward facing at such a young age I feel so embarrassed that I thought it was a good idea. But I just didn’t know any different at the time.

With my second child I knew far much more about car safety - he’s currently 3yr 4m and still rear facing, and will be for as long as I can have it that way.

Eldest went FF at 4.5 just before she started school and younger one still RF at 3, so will probably be the same.

My son was about 2. When he was rear-facing, he would have his legs all the way up the back seat in the most awkward position, and in winter his boots would get snow, slush and mud all over the place and it would drip down his legs. It just isn’t practical where we live (not the UK) to do rear-facing until 4 or 5.

5

My 3.5 yo is still rear facing. She’s my3rd and I have developed a zero fucks attitude haha. Nobody I know still rear faces but I’m convinced on the increased safety.

Nothing wrong with a tablet/phone for them in the car either, it’s not like they can get up and play with things and you need to be able to concentrate on driving..

Some extremely unnecessarily judgemental parents on this thread re a 1 year old having a tablet - I take it your children don't/ didn't watch any tv at the age of 1? 🤨

To the posters asking about legs rear facing, children are supposed to cross their legs. There is plenty of space for them

winter his boots would get snow, slush and mud all over the place. It just isn’t practical where we live (not the UK) to do rear-facing until 4 or 5.
Interesting that this is not a problem in Sweden though

4yo still rear facing as is nearly 2yo. Nearly 2yo got an iPad for her 1st birthday from grandparents and they both have iPhones for car journeys (our old ones) happy with all those choices.

@HarryHarryHarry

My son was about 2. When he was rear-facing, he would have his legs all the way up the back seat in the most awkward position, and in winter his boots would get snow, slush and mud all over the place and it would drip down his legs. It just isn’t practical where we live (not the UK) to do rear-facing until 4 or 5.

You've placed car cleanliness over safety... you couldn't remove his boots or buy a cheap car seat protector?!

5.5 years old but I don’t know anyone in real life who had theirs rear facing past 3 years old. I think your replies on this thread will be skewed in favour of rear facing.

The aim was to keep him RF until at least 2. It’s his 2nd birthday this month and he’s happy so we’re keeping him RF. Hopefully, we’ll keep him RF until he maxes out of his seat around 4 years old.

@KatharinaRosalie

winter his boots would get snow, slush and mud all over the place. It just isn’t practical where we live (not the UK) to do rear-facing until 4 or 5. Interesting that this is not a problem in Sweden though

All the Swedish people I know (work for a Swedish bank so know lots) rear faced their kids until 4, which is how long all the British people I know did it. Extended rear facing until 4-7 is as rare there as it is here - one of the biggest barriers is cost.